Afghanistan - Khowst PRT

AFGHANISTAN: UN urges NATO to adopt "holistic approach" to conflict

KABUL, 3 April 2008 (IRIN) - As NATO sets about exploring ways to boost its military effort in Afghanistan at a summit in Bucharest on 3 April, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN Special Representative for Afghanistan Kai Eide are urging a "holistic approach" and better coordination by all parties to defeat the Taliban and restore stability.

Ban and Eide are calling on NATO to increase non-military support to the Afghan government in order to tackle the insurgency more effectively and help rebuild and develop the country, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said.

"To defeat the insurgency we need to see more than just military efforts; we need to see political outreach efforts; we need to see development efforts; we need to see humanitarian assistance efforts; and more broadly, regional cooperation," Aleem Siddique, a spokesman for UNAMA, told IRIN in Kabul.

"The insurgency cannot be defeated and peace cannot be achieved only through military means," he said.

All parties involved in peace-building and development in Afghanistan - chiefly NATO, the UN and the Afghan government - should "step-up coordination" among themselves, Siddique said.

NATO role in humanitarian activities?

Apart from its military operations in coordination with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) [http://www.nato.int/isaf/topics/history/index.html], NATO also runs Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in 26 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces and has carried out over 7,500 development projects, said a NATO report released on 1 April.

While some aid agencies criticise the increasing involvement of NATO soldiers in development and humanitarian activities and consider this a major reason for the "shrinking humanitarian space" in Afghanistan, UNAMA says Afghanistan needs more than the traditional distinction between help from the military and help from aid agencies.

"We want to get away from this black-and-white scenario where it is purely the military that are responsible for security and purely the international community and the government that are responsible for political outreach and the development," said Aleem.

However, aid agencies such as Oxfam America, member of Oxfam International, have said the military should not be engaged in humanitarian and development activities unless there is no other way to meet life-threatening needs

[http://www.oxfamamerica.org/newsandpublications/news_updates/archive2003/art4362.html].

Civilian casualties

At least 1,500 Afghan civilians lost their lives in insurgency-related violence in 2007, the UN has reported.

Preliminary reports compiled by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) indicate that almost half of civilian casualties in the past two years came about as a result of aerial strikes and other military operations conducted by international forces.

During the Bucharest summit, Ban and Eide will reiterate the UN's concerns about civilian protection and ask NATO leaders to adopt stronger measures to minimise the impact of the conflict on civilians, Siddique said.

ad/at/cb[END]

*************************************************************************************

story

There have long been calls for a bridge over the River Khowst,  At long last they have been heard. This autumn the bridge will be ready and will play an important part in resurrecting the economy of war-torn Afghanistan.

Iqbal Khan, bridge worker

-We cannot afford that because it is too expensive. We cannot afford that much money.

The bridge is one out of several development projects financed and overseen by the NATO-forces in Afghanistan which have provided new jobs for local people.

Islam Uddin, bridge worker

-When the coalition forces started projects here all men could find jobs. Now all are doing their own work so there is no problem in our village and the economy for people is good now.

Only in Khowst province, 91 million dollars were spent by the USA last year in improving infrastructure. All efforts are done in the form of a so called PRT, "Provincial Reconstruction Team", where the American NATO-forces provides security and finance together with the US State department and the development agency USAID.

The approximately 15 billion dollars invested since 2001 has meant an economic boom in Afghanistan. The gross national product has more than doubled the last five years and in many areas, like here in Khowst, improved conditions have led to a dvindling support for insurgents and the Taliban movement.

Badshah, bridge worker

-We don't have such people that cause problems in our area and we don't let them live here.

But all areas in Khowst are not secure. The construction of a road going east from Khowst city has been stopped momentarily. Before proceeding on the contractor wants guarantees not to be attacked by the next village.

Said Alam Shah, contractor

-I did not receive any threats so far but we will see in the future because we are here only 5 or 8 km outside (Khowst city). The people in this area is good but we don't know about the people in the next area.

Khowst province, like the countryside in general, is very traditional and changes are viewed with suspiscion. The Taliban movement enjoyed a strong support, mainly from the Pashtuns who make up the majority in the province. Now, according to opinion polls recently made in Afghanistan, only ten percent support the Talibans while up to 90 percent wants the troops from NATO and the US-led coalition to stay in the country. But that is not the opinion here at the end of the road.

Chief, Patrick Flynn, Khowst province PRT

-This area has been for a long time center of gravity for anti-coalition forces, a lot of ied-facilitators, suicide bombings facilitators it is the last bastion if you will, in Khowst province where they are really operating from. 80% of this province is green (secure), in control, the government has been set up.

The Provincial Reconstruction Teams have the last years put a huge effort into construction of roads, schools, hospitals and other public buildings and at the same time reduced purely military warfare against Talibans and other insurgents. The PRT team here regularly meets the authorities in Khowst for coordination of all measures that in the end have the aim of making the Afghan population more supportive of the government and the NATO forces. 

Mohammad Daud Khan Shahid Zae, chairman Khowst Provincial Council

-Many afghans still think that the Americans are invaders and they did not come here officially (by invitation of the Afghan government)  but now this idea has gone from the minds of people of Khowst and they are happy for the reconstruction projects and also because the number of military operations have decreased now.

The cooperation also aim to strengthen local authorities weak power. The governor lacks his own budget but sees a development that decreases the gap between people and government.

Arsala Jamal, Govenor, Khowst province

-I will say yes, because for example in Khowst, the amount of work we have done in the last one year that really brought some changes to the life of the people.

A district center for police and a municipal office is constructed but even though it will improve service for the villagers, the neighbour is not satisfied.

neighbour

-I'm a poor man but if I could, I would stop their work but I can not because it's the governments building.

The man is protesting against that from the guard tower there will be a possibility to look into his back yard and see the women uncovered, a huge disrespect in Afghanistan. But the PRT team has learnt to respect cultural traditions.

Bob Traeder, engineer

-I think we have it solved, the guard tower will be a little bit lower than what is typical. They will be set up so that the guards cannot look over the wall.

Further away, one of 52 schools is beeing built in the province, financed by the PRT.

Ferous Khan, school-boy 10 years old

-People here are very happy for that and they like them (the Americans). They say that they are better than the talibans because they help us, they reconstruct our homeland.

Traditionally women have a second rank to men. The construction of a girls school caused a bomb attack in protest. There are suspicions that the resistance comes from a conservative and hostile religious school, a madrassa, further down the village.

Patrick Flynn, Chief vid flickskolabygge

-A lot of anti-coalition activities is based in some of the more radical and unregistred madrassas. One of the goals of the prt's is register as many madrassas as possible with the government to ensure that the practice of safe and friendly islamic teachings.

NATO's Reconstruction Teams work in three quarters of all provinces. In Paktia the needs are huge even if major improvements have taken place. A PRT team visits the hospital in the main city Gardez. Usually there is a meeting every week with the hospital authorities about their needs.

Kapten Sean Strope

-If you want to bring a list of things you would like to have in the ambulance, equipment or capabilities, that would be a good place for us to start.

Health standards in Afghanistan have drastically improved and 90% of the population has now access to health care, compared to about a tenth during the Taliban regime. Two year old Mansour pulled down a rice cooker and burned himself but received quick care.

Maqsod Nasruddin

-Yes, we are satisfied with the service.

In Gardez the central Ministry of Health wants to build a new hospital, which can be done with support from the PRT. But there is also needed systems for water and electricity and educated people. All things demands coordination from the authorities, often lacking skills.

Kapten Sean Strope

-It is certainly not a lack of cooperation. I think it is multifacetted. It is in some cases lack of understanding of the system by some of the people in the government, in the local government and I think it is also a question of money and time, security plays a big role in that.

Creating a peaceful and secure environment is regarded a top priority. Before, the family and clan traditions were stabilizing the society but were broken down during decades of wars and displacements. The lack of strong authorities made it possible for religious networks, like the Talibans, to get a stong grip over the local communities. Many now see it as important to get the moderate Talibans to take part in society building. 

Mohammad Daud Khan Shahid Zae, chairman Khowst Provincial Council

-We should talk with all groups and this dialogue must be according to the constitution of Afghanistan and to give them (the Talibans) confidence to come and take part in the government.

From Khowst city there is a three hour jeep drive to the northeast. The passes bordering Pakistan lies at well over 3000 meters. The US soldiers cautiously walk up to the border crossing. The Pakistani border guards on the other side have several times opened fire at those just approaching but today fighting inside Pakistan cause problems. A group of men has waited for several days to cross the border.

men at border crossing

-Approximately 200 - 250 persons were killed.

A representative from the US State Department ask questions about what happened.

Old conflicts between tribes belonging to different muslim sects inside the Pakistani border provines have suddenly flared up.

man at border crossing

-The Talibans killed them. One of the tribes did not like that so the fighting started.

Two Pakistani border guards walk over for a talk.

The Taliban movement allegedly enjoys strong support in the border areas and crossed earlier freely into Afghanistan at this border pass. But the Afghan tribe controlling the area does not allow that any more. 

Dave Adams, commander, PRT responsible, Khowst province,  at Pak border crossing

-The Jaji Maidan tribe is so strong. They will not allow Talibans to come across this district, so for instance, just two miles from here there is a school we are building. That comunity, there was a group of Taliban that came in, they surrounded them, contacted coalition forces and pushed them back across the border.

Later in the day an inauguration ceremony is held at another district center in Jaji Maidan, further into the countryside. A band is cut and the American soldiers yawn. The villages on the other side of the mountain ridge used to attack government forces but later they were promised reconstruction help by the American PRT so their support of the Taliban movement has now stopped. By that, one of the goals of the PRT has been reached.

Dave Adams, commander, PRT responsible, Khowst province

-Absolutely, we consider this part of the "war on terror". The main thing is less than 15 miles from where we're at is where the 9-11 training camps were, at the place where Mohammad Atta trained. So for Americans it is very easy to understand Afghanistan is where the 9-11 started, it started right here. So if we can't be successful here and helping these people cast of the influences of alQaida and the tyrrany of the Taliban and lift themselves up, we can't be successful anywhere.

Lennart Breggren

Axiom Films 

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->